Unesco Biosphere

Agricultural and farming practices are managed responsibly, with particular attention to biodiversity conservation and reducing environmental impact.

Local products are cultivated and raised using traditional methods that respect the environment. Water resource management is careful and meticulous.

Since 2015, the fish farming has been certified organic.

Through these and other initiatives, Valle San Leonardo is committed to being a model of environmental sustainability and preserving its beautiful ecosystem for generations to come.

The Wildlife Estates association is an organization dedicated to promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of wild lands worldwide. Founded with the goal of protecting natural habitats and wildlife species, the association works closely with landowners, reserve managers, government institutions, and non-governmental organizations to develop and implement responsible environmental management practices.

One of the main initiatives of the association is the certification of “Wildlife Estates.” This certification is granted to land properties that meet rigorous criteria for nature conservation and sustainable resource management. Certified properties must commit to protecting and restoring natural habitats, responsibly managing wildlife, and promoting biodiversity.

Wildlife Estates serve as sanctuaries for wildlife, providing safe refuge and habitat for a wide range of plant and animal species. Through the conservation of natural ecosystems and the reduction of environmental threats such as deforestation, pollution, and habitat loss, these properties make a significant contribution to the preservation of global biodiversity.

Additionally, Wildlife Estates play an important role in environmental awareness and education, engaging local communities and visitors in conservation activities and promoting understanding and appreciation of nature and wildlife.

Through their global network of certified estates, the Wildlife Estates association is committed to preserving the beauty and richness of nature for future generations, promoting a harmonious balance between humans and the environment.

Valle San Leonardo, a human controlled wetland, has been owned by the same family for four generations. It is located in the Po Delta Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, recognised at European level as a Wildlife Estates, with a strong biological vocation and certified for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It spans approximately 400 hectares and consists of a unique habitat where fresh and saltwater mix, creating an extraordinary reservoir of biodiversity. It is home to 134 plant species and 328 animal species, including migratory and resident birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, and crustaceans.

The present state of the site, which is of alluvial origin and was formed over the centuries following the construction of the Ficarolo road (1152) and the cutting of Porto Viro (1550) by the architect Sabbadino on behalf of the Serenissima, has been constantly modified, mainly by man, until 1951-1970, when the phenomenon of subsidence began. Since then, the economy of Valle San Leonardo, which has always been based on fishing, has entered a period of crisis and has had to review the activities from which it can derive the minimum income necessary to survive. Today, it can sustain itself thanks to the management of natural activities, the production of prawns in the summer, the cultivation of castraùre polesane (local artichokes) and a sustainable form of tourism. Carbon Credits are a real opportunity for the transformation and revitalisation of an environment in need of protection, with adequate means and resources that are no longer available from traditional activities alone.

Carbon Credits are financial instruments used to mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Companies or projects that reduce their emissions can obtain these credits and sell them on the market to generate additional income to invest in improvements. Based on this principle, proper “green” management of the human controlled wetland can help reduce the impact of CO2 on the greenhouse effect and the global climate change it causes. The voluntary market for carbon credits is a great incentive for Valle San Leonardo to continue improving the ecosystem’s absorption capacity through the continuous improvement of habitats, the drainage of canals, extent of phanerogam meadows, the planting of tamarisk and other plants in the coastal lagoons that contribute to increasing the retention capacity of greenhouse gases.

From 2023, EcoGruppo Italia certifies the production of Carbon Credits of VSL. The certification obtained, based on the criteria for the voluntary carbon market, ISO14000, ISO14068 and PdR UNI 99.2021, complies with the parameters provided by the methodology eCO2 by Ecogruppo and ISO 14064.2. Carbon Credits produced belong to the category of BLUE CARBON CREDITS and FOREST and LAND USE and will soon be registered in the public registry of eCO2care, where they can be purchased.